Radix: Dancing ON THE EDGE

There’s an exciting convention in town, and its name is Radix. Derived from the Latin word meaning “root”, “core” or “primary source”, Radix promises to help dancers get to the root of their training, with then a freedom to be able to dance on the edge of something great, all in a cutting-edge environment.

The three-day Radix experience, celebrating its fourth season, is touring to 24 cities around the country, offering diverse workshop classes, taught by a collection of the industry’s most sought-after choreographers and teachers, and a competition that encourages versatility. And all of that is given in a supportive atmosphere, allowing students to be pushed and grow.

Tessandra Chavez. Photo courtesy of Dance Teacher Summit.

Emmy Award-winning choreographer Tessandra Chavez is among the exceptional Radix faculty, and she will be leading Contemporary Fusion classes, an exciting mix of modern, jazz, hip hop, ballet and with musicality driven from tap.

Chavez says that Radix sets itself apart from other conventions due to its strong focus on versatility in training. “Our faculty collectively possesses decades of experience in the commercial and concert industries. All dancers should expect to be held accountable for being their best. We as a faculty are really passionate about igniting a fire in each student.”

Other Radix faculty include Talia Favia, Tyce Diorio, Chaz Buzan, Tina Caspary, Brian Friedman, and Tabitha and Napoleon D’umo. All the teachers strongly believe in the importance of having a strong foundation in one’s technique. This, Chavez says, will allow dancers to be able to “dance on the edge”. So, at Radix, participants are continuously working on improving the fundamental dance techniques – ballet, modern, tap, jazz and even hip hop.

Students in Tessandra Chavez’s class. Photo courtesy of Radix.

Chavez comments that teaching at Radix allows her to “mold the future generation of dancers. I know it sounds elaborate, but we as convention teachers have the power to show our students what they are capable of by pushing them physically and mentally. I believe one moment of inspiration can positively change the course of a young person’s life. And through all of that hard work, we have a great time!”

Upcoming cities for the 2019 Radix tour include Phoenix (January 11-13), Chicago (February 8-10), Houston (February 15-17), Atlanta (February 22-24), Denver (March 22-24), Orlando (April 12-14) and more. A full list of cities and tour dates can be found on the Radix website. In addition, the Radix Nationals 2019 will be held at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, from June 21-27, 2019. The action-packed week will be filled with over 14 hours of diverse workshop classes, a competition, talent agency auditions, performance opportunities and more.

Tessandra Chavez. Photo courtesy of Radix.

“It’s life-changing,” Chavez says of Radix. “I believe the convention experience is a powerful environment. As someone who has taught on the convention circuit for 20 years, it thrills me to continue to see dancers transform and achieve their dreams year after year. The beautiful thing is that it’s more than dance. The Radix environment teaches you to fight past your insecurities and push yourself to new levels. Those skills are universal.”